Developing Jekyll

It was designed decades ago as a universal vacation spot, but soon Georgia lawmakers could debate changes that would potentially transform state-owned Jekyll Island from a hodgepodge of a few aging hotels into an upscale resort.

No legislation has been filed yet, but the board that oversees the 7.5-mile barrier island along Georgia’s 100-mile coastline has already decided to move forward with plans to hire a consultant that will help find a developer to build new homes and hotels.

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I like the idea of Jekyll becoming more developed but I do not want to see it get out of hand. There is very little to do on the island and everything is aging but maybe that is what seperates it from St. Simons. The peacefulness of Jekyll compaired to St. Simons is quite obvious. I could go either way on this. I guess it comes down to what the final plans are for the development and what the restrictions are.

“It’s something for all of Georgia to look out for, except for the few people who live there who think it’s their island,” he said. “And little do they know its owned by the people of the state of Georgia and they’re just leasing it.”

The key phrase is ‘re-development.’ While I agree the island could use an economic infusion, let’s be careful to develop a plan which renovates existing properties and builds in a responsible way which preserves a substantial amount of the natural landscape that helps make the island so unique.

Maybe all those Jekyll “we got ours for next to nothing and want to keep it” homeowners have it right in opposing development at Jekyll. They just don’t go far enough. Here’s an idea, why not give the people of Georgia one beach they can afford. Buy out all the leases, tear down the houses and turn the place into one huge low environmental impact, $25 a space RV and Campground so that moderate income Georgians can afford to visit their beach – yeah that’ll happen. Georgia’s “jewel” currently offers around 200 total campsites to Georgia’s taxpayers.